The biggest change in the NASCAR All-Star Race was the dropping of the ax on the All-Star Open and the move from the short track racing setup at North Wilkesboro to a marathon at the Monster Mile, Dover Motor Speedway. But now, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports have announced some additional changes, including to the race format.
First, the 2026 All-Star Race will span 350 miles broken into segments of 75 laps, 75 laps and 200 laps, with the entire field taking to the green at the start. After the end of Stage 1, a second 75-lap sprint will follow, with Stage 2 reversing the entire sequence. The lineup will reverse the top 26 from Segment 1, while the rest will line up based on their arrival.
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Then the final 200-lap race will reduce the field to 26 drivers. This group will include the winners of the 2025 and 2026 Cup races, past Cup champions who race full-time, a fan vote choice and the remainder made up of drivers with the lowest combined results in Segments 1 and 2.
Currently, 17 drivers already have a ticket punched for the 200-lap main segment. It includes Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Shane van Gisbergen, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Josh Berry, Austin Dillon, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace.
That leaves eight spots up for grabs depending on how the drivers fare in the first two segments. The calculations could change if new winners join the party before the May 17 exhibition.
The 2026 format will also focus on qualifying on May 16. Drivers will take to the green and race a high-speed lap around the one-mile oval. With the All-Star Open abandoned, qualifying will set the grid for Segment 1, a 75-lap sprint as part of a 350-lap spectacle.
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The second round will bring Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge. Each crew will complete a four-tire stop with no fuel, then drivers will return to the start/finish line. The qualifying time will run from green to checkered, and the crew with the fastest stop and no flags will win the challenge, earning first place in pit selection for the race.
Most riders kept their powder dry during changes, but Dennis Hamlin couldn’t resist a Twitter jab. “Drivers who fail to qualify will also be awarded participation medals in the front straight following the conclusion of Stage 2,” he wrotewhich mainly reads as a nod to the current width of the tent.
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